WPBN: Investigators claim in federal court documents that a Venezuelan man who entered a guilty plea to federal charges in a bank theft scheme earlier this year is now facing similar charges in east Alabama. The man allegedly returned to a Sylacauga bank less than half an hour after police stopped him for speeding out of the bank’s parking lot.
Johnny Cruz Romero faces two counts of using a protected computer to commit fraud and conspiracy.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines ATM jackpotting as “the use of malware to exploit the vulnerabilities in [automatic teller machines] that result in the machines dispensing more cash than authorized.” Romero is charged with this crime.
Romero was one of at least two individuals who allegedly exploited an ATM in Sylacauga on November 25 to withdraw tens of thousands of dollars, according to a federal complaint. According to court documents, the suspects were seen on security footage approaching the ATM at 5:15 p.m., blocking the camera, and departing the scene at 11:19 p.m. Romero and another individual allegedly took out $50,200 throughout that period, according to FBI officials.
Two days later, two individuals took “$500 at a time in denominations of $20 bills” and stole $26,400 in the same method.
The subjects are observed opening the ATM, inserting a device, and then taking it out once the money has been taken in both instances.
On November 28, Sylacauga Police were dispatched to the same credit union that had been attacked earlier in the week after receiving complaints that someone was trying to block the ATM’s camera’s vision. According to a federal complaint, officers were pulling into the bank parking lot when they noticed a black automobile speeding out.
The driver “used a translation application to let the officer know he was from Venezuela and did not speak English” when the police pulled him over. The driver gave his name, “John Corderra,” and his birth year, 1979, but lacked identification.
The driver, who was eventually identified as Romero, informed the officer he lived in Nashville and was attempting to return home, according to the complaint.
“The officer told the driver he was traveling in the wrong direction, gave him a verbal warning, and pointed him in the direction of Nashville.”
On the same report, Sylacauga Police were summoned back to the bank around half an hour later, and they discovered a black automobile once more. In this instance, the driver was requested to exit the vehicle and did not provide a name, according to court documents.
“While the individual was detained, the officer was able to find pictures from the first ATM jackpotting event and connect the subject and car to the event,” as per the court records.
After inspecting the ATM, officers discovered multiple gadgets connected to it that are typical of ATM jackpotting attacks, as well as a “Vaseline-like substance” smeared over the camera, according to court documents.
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After being taken into custody, Romero was registered at the Talladega County Jail. He is charged by the state with hindering government operations, stealing from a banking institution, criminal computer tampering, and property theft.
His fingerprint DNA analysis, which also disclosed his federal conviction out of Oklahoma, allowed for his official identification in early December, according to court documents.
In April, Romero received a sentence of 14 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and more than $480,000 in restitution, if he is not deported. Romero’s supervised release started on May 14, citing federal court documents. His probation officer requested that his probation be revoked in the Western District of Oklahoma U.S. District Court.
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Romero was sentenced to time served/good time in the Oklahoma case after being imprisoned pending trial, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office official.
Romero may possibly be connected to comparable incidents in California, according to court documents.
